Douglas and Archie now rejoined the king.  For months Bruce led the life of a hunted fugitive.  His little following dwindled away until but sixty men remained in arms.  Of these a portion were with the king’s brother in Galloway, and with but a handful of men Bruce was lying among the fastnesses of Carrick when Sir Ingram de Umfraville, with a large number of troops sent by the Earl of Pembroke from Edinburgh, approached.  Wholly unable to resist so large a force, Bruce’s little party scattered, and the king himself, attended only by a page, lay hidden in the cottage of a peasant.  The English in vain searched for him, until a traitorous Scot went to Umfraville and offered, for a reward of a grant of land to the value of 40 pounds annually, to slay Bruce.

The offer was accepted, and the traitor and his two sons made their way to Bruce’s place of concealment.  As they approached, Bruce snatched his bow from his page and shot the traitor through the eye.  One son attacked him with an axe, but was slain with a blow from the king’s sword.  The remaining assailant rushed at him with a spear; but the king with one blow cut off the spearhead, and before the assailant had time to draw his sword, stretched him dead at his feet.  After this the king with his adherents eluded the search of the English and made their way into Galloway.  The people here who were devoted to the English cause determined to hunt him down, and two hundred men, accompanied by some blood hounds, set off towards the king’s retreat; but Bruce’s scouts were on the watch and brought him news of their coming.  The king with his party retired until they reached a morass, through which flowed a running stream, while beyond a narrow passage led through a deep quagmire.

Beyond this point the hunted party lay down to rest, while the king with two followers returned to the river to keep watch.  After listening for some time they heard the baying of the hounds coming nearer and nearer, and then, by the light of a bright moon, saw their enemies approaching.

The king sent his two followers to rouse the band.  The enemy, seeing Bruce alone, pressed forward with all haste; and the king, knowing that if he retired his followers would be attacked unprepared, determined alone to defend the narrow path.  He retired from the river bank to the spot where the path was narrowest and the morass most impassable, and then drew his sword.  His pursuers, crossing the river, rode forward against him; Bruce charged the first, and with his lance slew him; then with a blow with his mace he stretched his horse beside him, blocking the narrow passage.  One by one his foes advanced, and five fell beneath his blows, before his companions ran up from behind.  The Galloway men then took to flight, but nine more were slain before they could cross the ford.